Paella a la Maestre

Paella a la Maestre

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
200g Calasparra rice
1 litre (4 cups) fish stock
18 mussels
200g fresh or frozen peas
1 lemon, quartered
1 lime, quartered

Sofrito:
50ml extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 eschallot, coarsely chopped
3 piquillo peppers
6 large stems thyme, leaves picked
8 stems mint, leaves picked (about ¼ bunch)
½ cup coarsely chopped coriander leaves and stems (about ¼ bunch)
½ bunch chives, coarsely chopped
½ bunch flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped, plus extra leaves reserved to serve
1 pinch saffron
½ tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp hot paprika
½ tsp smoked paprika

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Method

1. For the sofrito, blend oil, vinegar, tomatoes, garlic, eschallots and peppers in blender or food processor until smooth, add herbs and spices and season with salt to taste.

2. For the paella, place paella pan on the stove over high heat, splash with olive oil, cook the rice for a minute until it changes colour.

3. Add ½ cup of the sofrito paste and cook over high heat for a minute mixing with the rice evenly, add stock and bring to the boil, add mussels. Cook for 25 minutes over high heat until stock evaporates. Remove from heat and fold through the peas and cook them with the residual heat in the pan.

4. Rest for 5 minutes covered with a tea towel on the stove top and serve warm, not steaming hot, scattered with extra parsley.

5. Serve in the pan with lemon and lime wedges to squeeze over before serving and make sure you season properly to taste.